Forgive and Forget
by Kira'sGuardian
Summary: Lucy has been abducted, abused, and used, then left to die. As she considers suicide, she wonders what Natsu and the others think of her. Her relationship with Natsu grows and then she is faced with the same circumstances, but this time, she has a friend by her side.
1. Captured

Chapter 1

It happened so fast. One moment, she was just falling asleep next to Natsu, and he was teasing her and carrying her back to the tent, and the next, she was rudely awakened and carried into the forest. Her attackers quickly carried her off into the darkness and she felt hands crawling all over her body. She was deposited on the cold ground and her hands were quickly bound behind her and around a young tree. Her legs were drawn apart and tied down, and cold fear, like ice in her veins, settled over her. "NATSUUU!" She screamed. The men laughed bitterly and coldly, then one stuffed a gag into her mouth. She watched the shadows as they talked among themselves for a few minutes.  
One particularly large shadowy figure returned and towered over her, chuckling darkly and drunkenly. He tipped her head back and grinned. "The famed Celestial Beauty, huh? She's certainly a beaut, for sure." The others chuckled, and Lucy glared at them. She struggled and succeeded in freeing one leg. She swung it up with all her strength and kicked the man heavily in the groin. He went down like a rock and the others started snarling at her. She cowered back and her eyes widened. They advanced on her and she could hear several buckles clinking and the gleam of knives in the half-light. She whimpered.

When the first knife sliced a deep, narrow cut in her leg, she screamed out, the sound muffled by the gag. The first belt struck her across the chest and she flinched, screaming again and again. She spat the gag out and started to scream. "NATSU! HAPPY! GREY! ANYBODY! HELP MEE!" the men whipped her again and again and her screams bit through the night.

When they were through, her body was bruised and battered, her mind weakly processing movement beneath her. she was being carried. Through the slit of her eyes, she could see a huge, gaping void in the sky above. A castle loomed before her, its walls crumbling and its towers decrepit with age. The men carried her inside and deposited her on the cold floor. A new figure stood over her. "Hello, Lucy Heartfilia. Welcome to my new home."

She screamed through the night as she was whipped and beaten and violated, over and over again. Finally her voice gave out and she cried silently. _Please, God, save me…send someone to help me. Put me out of my misery, please, just kill me now._ She thought of Natsu, who never allowed himself to get captured by anyone, of Happy who wormed his way out of any situation, and of Grey, who, while he drove her crazy with his constant flirting, could easily hold his own in any fight and refused to give up. They were all easily able to take care of themselves, but as soon as she joined their team, all they did was get hurt protecting her and rescuing her. She hated herself for it.


	2. Consideration

Chapter 2

_"__Lucy…"_

Blood pooled around her, made her dizzy. It was all around her; it covered her body, trickled from the gashes in her arms and legs. She struggled to see straight and sat up slowly, carefully. She dragged herself to the wall and collapsed against it, feeling the cold seep into her bones. It drew away her life, breath by breath.

_"__Lucy?"_

She could hear him calling her, could feel his footsteps echo on the cold tiles, but she couldn't bring herself to reply, to let him know she was here, that she was alive. She felt so alone, so defeated. So humiliated by her loss.

_"__Lucy! Where are you?"_

His voice was softer now; he was moving away from her. Suddenly she felt panic wash over her body and she tried to call out, a strangled gasp the only thing that escaped her. It echoed softly and she heard his footsteps pause for a moment, and a sigh drifted back to her.

_"__Come on, Lu! I know you're in here somewhere!"_

No. she couldn't let him find her like this. She'd rather die than see him so disappointed in her, to see Happy and Grey and Mirajane so upset with her. She was defeated, beaten down into the ground. A failure; a dishonor to herself and to Fairy Tail. How could she possibly hope to protect innocents when she could barely protect herself? She pulled her legs up to her chest and felt his scarf, cool and smooth, against her hot skin. She lifted it to her nose and breathed in his unique smell; sweat, smoke, and the fainter, sweeter scent of cherry blossoms met her nostrils. She heard his footsteps fade to silence as he called out again.

_"__Lucy!"_

His voice was higher now. Surely, she thought, he's beginning to worry. He would be wondering why she wasn't answering his call. Their teammate-bond-thing would have let him know that she was dead, were she. He knows she isn't dead. At least, not dead yet. Why she wasn't answering, only she knew. She didn't want to face him and the others. instead, she looked around for anything to use as a weapon. A sharp piece of broken tile lay a few inches away, and she grasped it, feeling the ragged edge dig into her palm. Its solid weight reassured her and at the same time terrified her. She didn't really want to do this…did she?

_"__Lucyyyy!"_

She pressed the tile to the soft skin of her stomach and felt the tip dig in. It burned, and she took sullen comfort in the fact that he could feel her pain. It wouldn't take him long to find her once he focused on that. She took a deep breath, steeling herself w=for what she was about to do.

Pressing the makeshift dagger deeper into her body, she called out softly.

_"__N-Natsu…"_ Her voice was pathetically weak, sickening to her own ears, but she knew he heard.

_"__Lucy! I'm coming!"_

She smiled at his attempt to reassure her, but then closed herself off to him.

_"__N…Natsu….I'm sorry.."_ She drove the dagger into her body and twisted it upwards, crying out in pain as it split her stomach wide open. Her hand slipped from around the broken tile, and she fell heavily against the cold tile wall. Blood poured from the wound, adding to the already large pool around her.

She heard his breathing, ragged and harsh, followed by a thud, as the wave of agony hit him like a wave and sent him backwards. The dagger had surely punctured a lung, if her ragged, hoarse, gurgling breathing was anything to go by. It felt as if she were drowning. She coughed and tasted the metallic bite of blood. Quickly she spat it out, and felt some dribble down her chin. She wrapped her hands in his scarf and pressed it to her face, inhaling his scent. She felt tears drip down her cheeks and shut her eyes tightly. His footsteps were loud now, very close. But he would be too late. By the time he found her, she would already be gone.

_"__Lu, Lu, Lucyyy…"_

He ran. The wave of pain rolled over him and drowned him in it, throwing him to the ground and holding him there until it eased a bit. His lungs felt as if they were on fire, as did his side. He threw himself forward and came around the corner. There she was, propped up against the wall and breathing softly, raggedly. Blood had stained her body, from her blonde hair to her arms and legs to the huge, gaping hole in her side. It pooled around her, and he almost didn't notice the daggerlike tile a few inches away from her.

Its tip was coated in her blood. All the air left him in one fell swoop and he dropped heavily to his knees beside her, in the pool of scarlet. Droplets splattered his face, his arms, drenched the fabric of his pants, but he didn't care.

"No, no, no, Lucy, don't you even dare.."

So much blood. It messed with his head and had him remembering other times when she had bled, many of them for him.

"Natsu, it's okay, it's just a scratch."

"I won't let you hurt him, you'd have to go through me before you get to him."

"NATSU! Nooooo!"

He touched her face gently, noticing that she held his scarf to her nose and mouth. Her eyes flickered slightly, opened enough to see him, then dropped again. She turned her head away. Blood smeared his hand and he looked to her side. Blood still oozed from it, and he quickly tore a strip from his jacket and wrapped it tightly. Scarlet slowly started to appear through the fabric and he struggled to keep calm and returned his attention to her face.

"Lucy, open your eyes. Please, please, Lucy." No response. Her eyes no longer moved and he felt for a heartbeat. It was there, faint and weak, but there. "Lucy, please…please, Lucy, open your eyes, slap me, say something, anything, PLEASE!" Still no response. "Lucy, please…I…I love you…I'm sorry, Lucy. Please just open your eyes!"

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, wiping away the grime and tear trails that stained her face. Blood dripped from her ruby-red lips and oozed from a gash above her left eye.

"Lucy, open your eyes. Please, Lu. You're scaring me." Her eyes opened and he smiled. She smiled faintly back, and for a moment, he thought he might kiss her. He was so relieved that she was alive, and awake, at that, that he wanted to kiss her nose, her forehead, every inch of her. But he held back. She was in need of medical attention and reassurance, not romance. He scanned her body for further injuries and with a start and a rose-red blush, he noticed that she was wearing absolutely nothing. He averted his eyes back to her face, frowning when he saw the tears rolling down again. He brushed them away, kissed her nose.

Her lower lip trembled and she started to cough up blood, gasping between body-wracking coughs as her body began to shut down. As he looked into her eyes, they widened and glazed over with fear, fear of dying and losing, and horrible, terrifying agony.

"N-Nats-su, I'm sorry." She sputtered, curling into herself. "I'm sorry, I've let you down, I've let everybody down…" Her voice dropped to a choked whisper, and her eyes were big and mournful. He grabbed her shoulders and, despite the protest that left her mouth, yanked her into his arms. She cried out in pain, then buried her face into his shoulder. He stroked her dirty, bloodied hair and murmured to her.

"You didn't let me down, Lucy. You didn't let anyone down. This wasn't your fault." He drew back and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "If anyone, this was my fault. I left you alone in a dangerous place. Everything and everyone here is evolved to kill or be killed, to steal or be robbed, and to take what they want when they want." He tightened his grip around her. "You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And it was all my fault. _I'm_ sorry, Lucy."

She just stared at him in shock, her chocolate brown eyes wide in surprise. Then her eyes welled with tears and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He tensed for a moment in embarrassment, then shoved his feelings aside and drew her tighter into his arms. She drew back and released him, clutching his scarf to her chest. He smiled and ran his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears and the grime. She smiled back and closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. He leaned in and pressed one quick kiss to her mouth, then leaned back again when her eyes flew open. He stood and removed his jacket, wrapping it around her nude form. She drew it closer around her and looked up at him. He bent down and lifted her effortlessly into his arms, tucking her securely and snugly to his chest. She settled in and laid her head directly above his heart, feeling it beat strongly, in time with hers. She closed her eyes and smiled lightly, reassured by the dragon mage that she wasn't at fault and wasn't to blame for what had happened to her.

Shortly thereafter, she fell asleep in his arms on the ride back to Magnolia, and for once, Natsu didn't get motion sickness.


	3. Comfort Zone

Chapter 3

Lucy was healing up nicely. The wounds on her limbs had almost completely healed, while the damage done to her womanhood had healed completely and properly. The gaping hole in her abdomen, however, was only beginning to heal over. She was still confined to Magnolia, and that in itself was torture. She still had Natsu's scarf, and slept with it close by every night for the first two weeks. To his credit, Natsu stayed with her every day and spent the night sleeping on the floor in her room. Happy was sent home every night so they both could sleep; he would talk for hours and hours and keep them up, and while they loved him dearly, Lucy needed to sleep so her body would heal, and Natsu was playing her keeper and bodyguard, so he kicked Happy out every night.

And every night, Lucy would curl up for a little while, thinking about what had happened to her, then fall asleep. Every night, right around midnight, she would wake up screaming, and Natsu would wake, crawl into bed with her, and hold her tight, stroking her hair and murmuring calming assurances to her. She would cling to him, bury her face in his chest, and listen to his heartbeat. He'd kiss her forehead, tell her it would be okay, and hum lullabies until she fell asleep.

Then he would watch her, still stroking her hair and humming as he memorized her face, her hair, the feel of both, her heartbeat against his, her eyes, her lips, her nose, the freckles that dotted her cheeks. And after he was sure she was asleep, he'd kiss her forehead and rest his mouth there, and fall asleep like that, his arms wrapped around her and his heart open to her.

One particular night, she woke up without screaming. Her body was drenched in cold sweat; she had been plagued by nightmares again. The cool night air blew across her bare back and shoulders and she shivered, almost regretting wearing the tank top and shorts for pajamas. She sat up slowly, mindful of the throbbing pain in her side, and grabbed his scarf. She breathed in his smell and her body relaxed a bit. Glancing around, she saw Natsu on the floor, his head pillowed on his arms, stretched out a few feet away.  
She smiled at the memories that rose in her head of that first night, of her waking up screaming and his arms wrapping around her, stroking her hair and whispering to her. She remembered placing her hand over his heart, feeling it beat under her touch, and that she'd look back up at him, seeing his eyes dark and clouded, and wondering what she'd done wrong.  
When she whispered that one night, he'd smiled a softer, wide smirk, and replied with, "You looked like an angel, that's what." She had simply smiled and traced the tattoo on his shoulder, running her fingers across his collarbone and up his neck, over his jaw. She'd cupped his face and pulled him into a sweet, chaste kiss. It lasted only a moment, but afterwards he'd slid one arm under her head and pulled her closer with the other. His body was warm to the touch. She was asleep almost instantly.

She remembered that perfectly as she gazed down at him now. He was so much more…handsome, adorable, maybe…when he was asleep. His nose twitched and occasionally he would smile or mumble. As she watched, his face twisted into a look of fright and he started to moan despairingly. His body twitched and flinched and he curled in on himself. Then he started to talk, clearly, about her. He was afraid she would die, afraid he wouldn't see her smile again. Then he yelled and sat bolt upright, wide awake. He looked at her and his face paled when she looked back. His eyes were wet with tears and one slid down his cheek. She slipped off the bed gracefully, dragging a blanket with her, and sat down by him.  
He watched her silently and didn't move when she sat directly in front of him. "Was it a bad dream, Natsu?" she asked softly, already knowing the answer. He nodded quickly curtly, and looked away, rubbing at his eyes. She extended her hand and wiped the tear away, rubbing her thumb across his cheek. He leaned into her touch and took her hand in his.

She reached forward, took him by the wrists gently, and pulled them into her lap. She lifted one hand, traced it with her fingers, and placed her own against it, looking at how much thinner and paler her hand was compared to his. She did the same for the other hand and glared at the white bandage that wrapped around her palm and wrist. He still stayed frozen, tense, his eyes turned away. She understood. He didn't show emotion too often; not emotion like this. Not affection or love or anything like that. She was patient. This dream, whatever it was about, had frightened him. Unnerved him. She let go of his hands and immediately they retreated to his legs.

"Natsu." He flinched but otherwise ignored her. She repeated his name again, louder. He still ignored her. She frowned. She touched his arm; he shifted away. "Natsu…" She said softly. He stood and walked to the window. She remained seated on the floor, watching him. He sat down on the windowseat and looked outside. She continued to watch him. For hours she watched him, until the first light of day showed on the horizon. Only then did she stand up, walk over to him, and crawl into his lap. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around his waist, content to just stay there and hold him. She waited, patiently, silently.  
Finally his arms slid around her and he sighed. "I was dreaming," he began, almost whispering, "that I was in that castle again, but you were with me when I went in. All around me I could hear voices, growling, snarling, cackling, whispering, but I wasn't afraid. You were there with me, and I was okay. But…" he trailed off and his arms tightened around her. "Then I turned around and you were just…gone. I couldn't find you. I turned again and I was back in the camp with Happy and Grey, and I heard you screaming for me." He paused and took a deep, shuddering breath.  
She lifted her head and her hands, cupped his face, and kissed his nose. Then she curled up in his lap, one hand over his heart, the other combing through his hair, calming, encouraging. He continued.

"I..I could hear them laughing, calling you names. I could see you struggling to free yourself and only making them angry. I….I saw them take you. Over and over again, and I wanted to scream and rip them apart, but I couldn't move. It was like I was inside one of their heads and seeing everything they saw. I watched him take you, and then they started hurting you, over and over, throwing things, whipping you, until you were so bruised and broken that I could hardly tell it was you. Finally you collapsed and they cheered. _The fucking bastards cheered._ They fought over who would carry you. And then suddenly I was in the castle. I couldn't see you, but I could hear you, crying and screaming and calling for me. I ran to you, but when I found you…" He blinked rapidly and swallowed hard, and she brushed his cheek with her hand, running the other through his hair again and again. His hold tightened again.

"W-When I found you, you were gone. There was blood, so much blood, I felt like I was drowning in it. I felt so lost, so utterly hopeless. I screamed and yelled for you to come back to me, but I was ignored. It was as if I'd betrayed you and now I was paying the price. I sat there and held your body and just…cried. I was so lost and afraid and _broken_ without you…" She blinked back tears as he trailed off again.  
"Is that when you woke up?" She asked him, softly, gently. He nodded, swallowed hard again. He loosened his grip on her and tipped her chin up, looking into her chocolate eyes. She slid her hands down under his arms and pulled him close, burying her face into his chest. His heartbeat was erratic, pounding loudly in his chest. She kissed his bare shoulder, softly, and watched his reaction. He looked down at her and smiled faintly. She smiled back warmly, gently. "It's okay, Natsu. It was just a dream." He frowned and slid one hand into her hair, pulling her to him. Their foreheads met softly and he sighed. "I know." He said, "It was just a bad dream." She snuggled into him and wrapped her arms around him, bare skin against bare skin, and started to sing softly. He recognized it as an old lullaby his mother sang when he was very little; it was one he sang to her every night when she woke screaming. She sang it so quietly that only they could hear it; the two of them, tortured and beaten, over and over and over, but still managed to get up again and again.


	4. Coming Home

Chapter 4

A few months later, it happened again. This time though, it was closer to home. But it still wasn't Lucy's fault.

They came in the night. Lucy had fallen asleep only a few hours before, in the comforting warmth of Natsu's arms and the steady beating of his heart. The men came shortly after, breaking down the door of her apartment, barging in, and throwing Natsu aside like a ragdoll. She screamed and one of them hit her in the side of the head, nearly knocking her out. Another kicked her in her injured side and scarlet bloomed on her tank top, immobilizing her. One man lifted her limp body over his shoulder and that was it. Natsu stood up again, blood dripping from his mouth and fire in his greengage eyes.  
"Put. Her. down. Now." He growled, stepping in front of the doorway. One of the men snarled and flew forward, faster than Natsu even registered. His attacker hit him hard in the ribcage, debilitating him, along with breaking at least two of his ribs and stabbing him in the back with a dagger. Both were thrown over shoulders and carried out, back to the crumbling castle. This time, they were left in the dungeon. Together, though. Natsu was flung in carelessly, and Lucy heard another couple of bones cracking and a moan. She was shoved into the cell, and she immediately went to Natsu's side. He was unconscious, probably from the pain he was in, and she curled her body protectively over his.  
She glared at any of the men who came close enough to touch him or herself. She brushed his hair away from his face and rested his head in her lap, praying that he wake up soon. She bandaged the stab wound on his back as best she could and ran her hands over his back, calming both his uneven, labored breathing and her own pounding heartbeat. Gently, she lifted his limp body up and braced him against the wall as comfortably as she could.  
Natsu responded only twice when she brushed her hands over him. Once he whispered her name as she started to babble, as if he were telling her to stop worrying. The second time, he woke up and his eyes flicked half-open and settled on her face, and his hands flexed.  
She caught his hands in hers and settled them in his lap. His hands tightened loosely around one of hers and he whispered her name again. She looked at him and smiled, relief flooding her when he smirked back, albeit weakly. His eyes fluttered and her face sank into a worried line again. He forced his eyes open, forced himself to stay above the surface for just a bit longer. Natsu lifted one hand, hers cradled in it, to his lips. He kissed it lightly and gave her a soft, toothy smile. She grinned back and brushed her fingers over his cheek. She cupped his jaw and pulled him to her for a sweet but loving kiss, holding him there until she felt him shudder. She released him, only for his hand to catch her chin and pull her in for a deeper kiss, one only a dragon mage could give, fiery and passionate, and it left her breathless. She grinned cheekily. "Thought the all-mighty Dragon Slayer wouldn't deign to kiss the lowly Celestial girl?" He chuckled quietly and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. She squeezed his hand for a moment and laid her head on his shoulder. He rested his head on hers, then shifted for a split second and hissed in pain. He moved too quickly and pain shot through him, sending him into convulsions. He fell on his side and curled in on himself, gasping for breath and howling in pain. Lucy grabbed his shoulders, threw her leg over his abdomen, and effectively straddled him to hold him down. She brushed his cheeks with her fingers and gently ran her hands over his chest, checking for other injuries. She was rewarded with a flinch when her hand touched his sides. She slid his jacket away and saw the bruises already forming, bright violet already. Tears welled in her eyes and she pressed her hand to his chest, over his heart. His movements ceased abruptly and her eyes whipped to his face. His eyes were closed again and he was breathing harshly, raggedly. She stood and moved him gently, just enough to slip under him. She leaned up against the wall and laid him against her. She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead, curling one hand in hers and interlocking their fingers.

Hours passed, and soon she was worrying herself sick. Natsu was still unconscious, and he had developed a fever. She pressed a damp rag to his forehead, trying to cool him down, but it didn't work. His eyelids fluttered and flickered back and forth as he dreamed feverishly. He shuddered and shivered and mumbled, skin shining with sweat. Lucy drew her fingers through his hair, trying desperately to soothe him.  
The hours they were there turned to days. Natsu steadily became worse and Lucy's worry turned into full-fledged panic. He still hadn't woken up again, and even though she knew he was strong, he had been stabbed, and several of his bones were broken. She was beginning to think that if they didn't get out soon, Natsu might not last much longer.

So she watched the men. She memorized their faces, their mannerisms. She was amazed that just a few months ago, these were the men that had ruined her, beaten her to within an inch of her life. After being there for a week, she noticed a couple of new people who brought food to them. One was small and lean, and kept a hood over his face at all times. The others called him 'Colorboy', as a mockery. The other was a girl, confident and strong and like the boy, wore a hood over her face. Lucy saw the eyes, and recognized Erza. She was relieved. Erza would get them out, and sooner rather than later. She could only guess that the new 'Colorboy' was Gray.

She murmured all of this to Natsu as he slept, and watched him dream every night. Finally, one night she heard a soft grunt, a creak of the cell door, and a whispered, "Lucy." Looking to the door, she saw Gray crouched by the open gate. Erza stood behind him, silently guarding from any attackers. Lucy beckoned Gray over and together, they lifted Natsu's limp body onto Gray's back. The dark-haired ice wizard grunted, but otherwise didn't react to the weight on his shoulders. Lucy picked up Natsu's jacket and scarf and pulled them on. His jacket was warm and his scarf just gave her a sense of calm. She followed Gray closely, watching Natsu carefully. His eyes flickered under his eyelids and he mumbled her name in a worried tone. She ran her fingers through his hair and spoke back. "I'm here, Natsu. We're getting out of here." He sighed softly and Lucy smiled. Gray looked back at her and smirked.

"You really love him, huh?" He said quietly, just loud enough for her to hear. She smiled again and brushed the back of her hand against Natsu's face. He leaned into her touch in his sleep.

"Yeah, Gray. I think I do." Gray sighed. "I was afraid of that. I was holding out on you for a while, but I'm not surprised." Lucy smiled and hugged Gray for a moment. "Thank you, Gray. For everything." He smiled at her then, a true smile, then started moving out. Erza ran ahead, taking down any guards they encountered without alerting the others. Lucy was grateful for their help, and was so happy to feel the night breeze when they walked out of the castle. She looked up at the night sky and grinned at the stars. Erza placed one hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "Come on, girl. We aren't quite out of it yet." They moved on, resting only shortly in the night, until the flags of Fairy Tail appeared over the trees. She looked at Natsu, who wasn't so weak and had woken up in the middle of the night.

–Flashback-

Lucy sat by the fire, watching the embers burn softly as she stroked Natsu's hair and shoulders. He was sleeping silently, finally. His eyes weren't flickering constantly, he wasn't sweating, and he wasn't mumbling. Instead, he was making an odd, almost purring noise and his nose was twitching back and forth. She smiled warmly at how cute he was and returned her gaze to the dying ashes of the fire. After a while, she laid down next to him on her back, looking up at the stars. She mapped out the constellations, smiling when she recognized those that matched her friends, the Zodiac spirits. Suddenly she felt a hand caress her face and she whipped her gaze to it. Natsu continued to stroke her cheek with his hand, and when her gaze traveled to his face, she was shocked at the crystal-clear greengage eyes that stared back at her. "You're awake." She whispered, a grin making its way across her face. "Yep." He stated simply. She giggled and rolled into his waiting arms, pressing a fiery kiss to his lips. He nuzzled her neck and kissed the soft skin at the base of her ear. He nibbled and sucked at it, then kissed her again. She shivered and pressed a hand to his chest. "Natsu…" he paused and drew away, looking at her, "we can't…" he frowned and nuzzled her neck, making her shiver and giggle softly. "Why not?" he whispered, brushing his nose along her shoulder. "Because…ah!" She slapped a hand to her mouth as he bit gently on the junction of her neck and shoulderblade. She pushed him away weakly and he obeyed long enough to hear her out. "We aren't alone here, Natsu. If Gray and Erza hear-"  
"Hear what, Lu?" Lucy squeaked in surprise and flew into Natsu's arms. Looking at the source, she saw Gray standing there, hands on hips, staring at them. He smirked at Natsu's arms around Lucy and started laughing outright at Lucy's ruby-red face. "I see," he said. "Nice clothes, Lu. Well, Natsu. Good to see you're awake." And with that, Gray returned to his bedroll and laid down. Soon they heard him snoring softly and Lucy relaxed back against Natsu's chest. He nuzzled her neck and ears, smirking against her skin when she shivered.  
"N-Natsu, stop it. You need to rest, your back-" He hushed her. "I'm fine. My back is healing up faster than you expect." Lucy frowned and stood, walking around behind him. She touched the bandage and felt the cool skin beneath. Unraveling the bandage, she found that the wound had healed over and a huge scab stretched over it. She touched it with her hands and smiled. It was healing better than she could've hoped. She touched his sides where the bruises from his broken ribs were and he flinched away. "Sorry!" She said, ruffling his hair quickly. He grabbed her arms and tugged her down, over his shoulder. He tightened his grip and pulled.  
Her vision blurred and she found herself flying through the air. She closed her eyes and she froze. Her chest hit solid muscle and she opened her eyes again. She was lying on Natsu's chest, staring into his eyes. He was lying down, his arms wrapped around her to keep her on him. She snuggled into him and closed her eyes, finally letting herself fall asleep with the reassurance that he was awake and okay.

-End Flashback-


	5. Home Again

Chapter 5

Lucy grasped Natsu's hand tighter and grinned at him. He grinned back, green eyes sparkling brightly in the sunlight. Gray walked forward, following Erza inside with a quick side glance to Lucy and a knowing smirk. She smirked back at him and followed Natsu inside. Barely three seconds after they walked in the door, a blue blur tackled them both to the ground. Natsu groaned and chuckled at Happy, who was hugging him tightly.  
"Ah…Happy?"  
"Aye?"  
"That…hurts."

The little cat jumped up as if he were on fire, apologizing loudly. Heads turned at the commotion and other wizards began calling out in welcome. Most of them were yelling at Lucy to hurry up and 'get it over with already' and several were yelling to Natsu, including Elfman. "NATSU! HURRY UP AND BE A MAN ALREADY!" Lucy looked questioningly at the dragon wizard, who grinned sheepishly and shrugged, getting to his feet. Mirajane ran over and hugged Lucy tightly. "We were so worried! What happened to you? Whhyyyy are you…..wearing Natsu's jacket?" Lucy flinched and her face colored a rosy pink. Natsu snickered behind her, only to get slapped across the back of the head by Juvia.  
"Uhhh….Long story, Mirajane." The whitehaired girl smiled and took Lucy's hand, helping her up. "Well then, you must be hungry, hm?" Lucy grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Let's get you something to eat. LOKE!" She yelled. The other appeared moments later, his usual girls at his side. "Help Natsu get to the healing mages, please." Loke frowned, but at a stern look from the demon mage, obeyed without arguing. Lucy watched them from the corner of her eye as Mira led her back to the bar and placed a steaming plate of rice and curry in front of her. She grinned and dug into it, not bothering to worry about it burning her throat. AS she ate, she listened to Mirajane's stories about what happened while they were gone. She laughed at the trouble Elfman had caused, as usual, and snickered at the story of Laxus's most recent attempt to boss people around. Finally, she had finished three bowls of rice and curry and Mirajane had caught her up to recent events. "So, Lucy. Why _are_ you wearing Natsu's jacket? I mean, I know you like to wear his scarf a lot, but the jacket's new." Lucy blushed. "Well, he got stabbed in the back and he broke a few ribs and a couple other bones, so to bandage them up, I had to take his jacket off him.  
When Gray and Erza came to get us, Gray carried Natsu on his back. And…I didn't really want to carry Natsu's jacket around, so I put it on instead." She blushed a deeper red, "And because I know he would've put on me that night anyways because it was cold." Mirajane smiled. "That seems right about what I was expecting." Lucy stared at her quizzically. "I knew that you would take the jacket off him to bandage any wounds; we found bloodstains on the floor of your apartment and evidence that there had been a fight. Gray and Erza offered to search for you and bring you home. They are the best, besides yourselves, and we wouldn't have it any other way. I did also expect that you would use it for some warmth, as it gets cold in the night, even during summer. I also suspected that he would insist you wear it, for defensive purposes." Lucy blinked.

"Defensive purposes?"  
"His jacket is made of dragonskin, which is fire-resistant and fairly strong, almost as strong as metal, in fact." Lucy smiled. "And because I'm not wearing much under it; less than I wear usually." Mirajane laughed. "Then would you like to change into something clean?" Lucy nodded happily at the thought of fresh clothes and a shower. She stood up and followed Mirajane through the living area of the guild. "We moved most of your belongings here, into the guild. Everything has been put in a proper place, but feel free to move anything as you wish." Mirajane stopped in a large common room with a fountain in the middle, wide bay windows, and several hallways branching off from either side. She gestured to a door, painted a pale shade of pink and blue. Mira handed Lucy a small key with her name engraved in gold script. She slid it into the lock, twisted it, and opened the door. All her belongings were there, set up as if she were in her apartment. She walked through the little kitchen area and the living room, to her bedroom, and found her blanket folded on the bed. She brushed a hand over it. "Thanks, Mirajane." The snow-haired bartender smiled and said, "Everyone will be downstairs when you're ready. Take your time." And with that, she walked out. Lucy sighed and ran her hands through her hair. She slipped out of Natsu's jacket and laid it on the bed, then unwound his scarf from her neck and folded it neatly on top of the jacket. She shimmied out of her shorts and drew her tank top up over her head. Grabbing a towel and a brush, she walked into the bathroom and set her items on the counter. She stepped under the shower and turned on the hot water. Warm water pounded her back and she sighed blissfully. It was good to be home.

Half an hour later, she stepped out of the shower, her skin gleaming and a fresh pink from scrubbing. She dried off and wrapped her hair in the towel. She walked into her room and for once, Natsu wasn't there playing with something he found in her room. She picked out a blue skirt with frosted edges, paired with a short sleeveless tee, with the same design but blue on white. She dried her hair as best she could and plaited it over one shoulder to cover the little mark Natsu had left the night before. She stared at it in the mirror for a few minutes, the events leading up to and following it playing it her head and making her blush.  
With a quick sigh, she dropped the braid over it and straightened her top. She opted to go barefoot and looped Natsu's scarf around her waist, not wanting to leave it behind but also not wanting to wear it. She left her room, locked it, and slid the key onto her ring, then walked back to the main hall. She walked onto the balcony and looked down at the others eating and spotted Mirajane carrying trays of food to the tables. It was time for dinner, and the others were hungry.  
She made her way quickly to the bar and picked up a tray. Mirajane shot her a look of gratitude and lifted four trays onto her arms and whirled away. Lucy picked up another tray and walked to one of the tables. Lyon, who was sitting at the table, grinned at her. "Well, miss Lucy! Don't you look so lovely tonight!" She chuckled. "Thanks, Lyon." She tilted the tray and slid plates down in front of each man at the table. Laxus smiled toothily and asked, "So, Lucy! Where's Dragonboy?" She blushed slightly and stammered. "He's with the healing mages. Stab wound and broken ribs." Laxus laughed heartily. "Good boy! He didn't let you get hurt, did he?" She smiled, relaxing. "Just a few bumps and bruises." The lightning mage nodded, satisfied, and dug into his food. Lucy moved to the next table, where Erza, Gray, and several others sat waiting patiently and talking quietly.  
Lucy set plates down in front of them and returned to the bar. Mirajane had just come back and was loading the next round of plates onto a tray. Lucy moved to help but Mira stopped her. "This is the last batch, Lucy. Those plates on the counter are for you and Natsu, myself, the Master, and the healing mages. Take a plate and I'll be back shortly. Make yourself comfortable here at the bar." She whirled away in a flourish of navy blue fabric and white hair. Lucy shrugged and took a plate, seating herself behind the bar. She was one of the few allowed behind Mirajane's counter.  
Taking a spoonful of the soup, Lucy allowed herself a quiet moan of bliss. Mirajane was the best cook. She jerked forward in surprise when a hand settled on her shoulder and almost spilled the soup. Another hand shot forward and caught the bowl before Lucy dropped it. "Careful. Never know who might sneak up on you." Lucy relaxed. Master released her shoulder and seated himself on the counter beside her. "Hand me a bowl, will you, Lucy?" She traded him for her own bowl back and watched the other guild members, smiling unconsciously. Master noticed and commented on it.  
"Thinking of our Dragon mage, hm?" he said, chuckling. Lucy turned ruby red and he started laughing. "Just teasing, child. Don't worry." He sipped his soup. "Natsu is strong. His body is healing better than even the healers expected. He should be joining us soon." Mirajane returned, smiled in greeting to the Master, and took a seat, taking a bite of her meal. Lucy lifted her cup to her lips and mused for a few minutes about the last few weeks.  
She heard footsteps behind her and set her cup down as Natsu walked up to them. She listened to him answer the same questions and smiled. He said hello to the Master and Mirajane, then grabbed a tray and put the other bowls on it and disappeared again. Lucy talked to the Master and Mira for a while, answering their questions about the days they were captured. When Natsu returned he came in through the main hall, and Lucy watched him approach.

He was wearing white pants-which he loved- and a dark blue vest, leaving his chest open. She could see a wide white bandage around his abdomen, covering the scabbed-over wound on his back. His feet too were bare, but wrapped with bandages. He had a small white bandage on the side of his forehead and his forearms were wrapped as well. He caught sight of her and a wide grin split across his face. She giggled, which caused Mirajane to turn around and look at him. She turned back to Lucy and her eyes were glinting mischievously.  
"If I didn't know any better, Lucy, I'd say you two matched on purpose." Lucy's gaze flew to Mira, who giggled sweetly. Lucy glared at her friend mockingly, then moved to the back counter. After a few moments, she looked around for Natsu. She found him arm in arm with Juvia and Wendy, being dragged to a table. He sat down next to Gray and started talking. Lucy bit her lip and frowned. Taking a quick look around, she saw that Laxus, Elfman, Lyon, Gray, Ezra and several others were shooting glances at her. Juvia was snuggled into Gray's side and waved at her enthusiastically. Lucy waved back. Wendy and Gajeel were watching her as well, although a bit more indiscreetly.

Lucy returned her focus to the people right in front of her. The Master was still asking questions and patiently waiting for answers, while Mirajane looked on. A bit later (A couple hours actually) Natsu wandered over and plopped into her seat. She could tell he was drunk; his eyes were dilated and he was grinning at everything idiotically. Lucy motioned to the white-haired girl to follow her and hopped off the counter. She heard Mirajane tell the Master to tend the bar while she was gone and felt Natsu's unfocused eyes on her back.

"Where're ya goin'?" Natsu called. Lucy stiffened and forced herself to relax and turned around. His cheeks were a rosy color and he was swaying slightly on his chair. Happy perched precariously on one shoulder. Lucy forced herself to smile, knowing it probably looked like a grimace to anyone else, and answered, "We'll be right back, don't worry." He looked as if he was going to object, but Master asked him something and he turned away to answer.  
Lucy spun on her heel and walked out quickly, her hands around her protectively. Mirajane put an arm around her shoulder and steered her into the common room of the girls' quarters. They sat down on the edge of the fountain, their feet in the water-Mirajane shed her shoes-and sat in silence for a few minutes.

Finally Lucy sniffed and looked up.

"Mira, why does the world hate me?" The other girl frowned and looked at her. "What do you mean, Lucy? The world loves you." Lucy looked down at her reflection and replied, "I mean, why can't I get some form of happiness that doesn't involve being beaten within an inch of my life first? When I was captured the first time, I hadn't been very happy. After _he_ found me, I was happy. Until now. Now I feel like he only said everything he did and did everything he did to make me feel a bit better so I didn't die or so I could help him?" She looked down at the water intently as Mirajane thought of something to say.  
"Lucy, he truly does love you. He just…isn't quite sure how to show it. I'm positive that that's what it is. Don't worry yourself sick over it. Natsu is young like you, and he didn't grow up like you did. He had to raise himself after Igneel disappeared. He didn't want anyone to take care of him; he never has wanted anyone to take care of him. For him to let you that close is a major measure of trust and affection. He likes you, Lucy." The demon mage placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder, kept it there until Lucy looked at her. The blonde was crying, tears running down her cheeks.

"I-I just feel like he's using me, like he did at first when we met. I'm afraid he-he hasn't changed and if that's t-true, it might break me for go-good." Mira drew the younger mage into a hug and rubbed her back soothingly until Lucy's sobbing had eased. She took the blonde by the shoulders and drew her away, looking into her eyes. "Don't work yourself up over it, Lu. Give him time to realize his feelings. If you want, we can keep him away from you until he understands, okay? Do you want us to do that?" Lucy nodded sullenly, wiping the tears from her eyes.  
"Thanks, Mirajane." She whispered. Mira flipped a hand in the air. "Don't worry about it. Us girls have to stick together, right? You must be tired." Lucy nodded again. "Okay. Let's get you to your room and get you settled."

Lucy stood and followed Mirajane to her room. Mira opened the door and followed Lucy inside to the bedroom. She turned away while Lucy changed into an oversized t-shirt, then sat down on the bed. She noticed Natsu's scarf and jacket folded at the foot of the bed and asked Lucy if she wanted her to return them to him. Lucy nodded curtly. Mirajane could tell she was still hurting and that she was probably going to for a while, so she motioned her to sit on the bed. Lucy did and Mira removed the hairband from Lucy's hair, releasing the braid. The demon mage ran her fingers through the last few folds of the plait and then brushed her hair out. She noticed the little red mark on Lucy's neck but chose not to comment on it, deciding that the other had had enough of the dragon mage for now. She sectioned Lucy's hair into small pieces and pleated each section. She then took the sections and braided them into a bun at the top of Lucy's head. She wrapped it with a bandanna and pinned it in place. "There. Just take it out in the morning and comb your fingers through it, okay?" Lucy nodded. Mirajane sighed and wrapped her arms around the other for a moment, then had an idea. "Hey, Lucy. Why don't you come and sleep in my room tonight? He won't bother you there and you can get some sleep." Lucy perked up a bit and smiled. "Okay."  
Mirajane smiled widely and stood up, pulling Lucy with her. Lucy moved away and collected a few things she would need while Mira picked up Natsu's jacket and scarf and tucked them under her arm. When Lucy was ready, they left. It was starting to get late, so they passed several other girls on their way to their own rooms. Each greeted Lucy and welcomed her back and continued on their way. They passed Gray and Juvia, who were seated on the sill of one of the bay windows, giggling and kissing. Lucy quickened her pace a little bit and averted her gaze. Mirajane caught Gray's eye as he watched Lucy pass. His eyes turned hard and concerned when he met Mira's gaze and he made to stand up, but Mira held up a hand, telling him silently that she had it under control. He relaxed and pulled Juvia into a hug. Mirajane sped up to catch up to Lucy and put a hand on her arm to stop her. Lucy looked around and realized they were in the area where the guys slept. One door on their right had a burn mark in the center of it, as if someone had thrown a flaming object at it. Mirajane bent down and placed Natsu's clothes in front of it and straightened.  
"There." She turned around and so did Lucy. She bumped into someone and looked up, her apology dying on her lips as she realized who it was. Natsu stared down at her with wide, clear greengage eyes. "Lucy?" She looked down at the ground and stepped around him, brushing shoulders for a moment. She reached Mirajane, who put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as they walked away. Natsu watched them for a moment, then went to open his door. He stepped on something and looked down. His scarf and jacket lay on the ground at his feet. He picked them up and noticed a small white scrap of paper fall out from between the folds of the scarf. He caught it and went into his room. He dropped the clothes on the ground and opened the note. It read:

_Natsu:_

_I do hope you're healing well. You certainly looked like it when you were sitting with Gray and Juvia and Wendy. I think you may have hurt Lucy's feelings and I believe you should leave her be for a while. It's in your best interest, I think. She was expecting something from you that I know you aren't quite aware or sure of yet, and that it bothered her quite a bit. If you wish to talk to her, tell me. I will work something out for you._

_Mirajane_

Natsu frowned and reread the note again. He hurt Lucy's feelings? How? What did he do? He had to talk to her. Just then in the hallway, she _had _looked a bit upset, but he thought she was just tired. Mirajane had looked at him with sympathy as she led Lucy away. He dropped the note and threw open the door. "LUCY!" He yelled. The blonde figure at the end of the hallway flinched and turned. He could see her face clearly and the sight of it made his heart clench. Her chocolate eyes were empty and red, and tears dripped down her cheeks. She looked so forlorn and upset, so tiny, standing there in an oversized t-shirt (one of his, he realized) with a stuffed bear in her arms. She met his eyes for a moment and her gaze hardened. She turned around with a twirl of her shirt and she and Mirajane walked away. They disappeared and he stood there, in the middle of the hallway, feeling like a total jerk, and embarrassed. He went back into his room and slammed the door, sliding to the floor and leaning against it, and sighed exasperatedly.

Girls were confusing, and Lucy Heartfilia was no exception. The only thing that made her different was that she made him feel happy. Complete. And when she was kidnapped right from under his nose and disappeared for weeks, he was so upset and obsessed with finding her. He was afraid she was dead, or worse. When he found her, he almost cried in relief. He'd told her he loved her. Why was she so upset with him now? He went through that memory in his head and realized she had been unconscious. She certainly wouldn't have heard him say that. Then he thought that through. Did he really want to tell her he loved her? What if she rejected him? What if she hated him now? He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. A soft knock came at the door and he scrambled up and opened it. Erza stood before him, clad in nothing more than a soft blue robe. Her hair was cascading loosely down her back and she had a box in her hand. She walked inside uninvited and shut the door a bit forcefully. He watched her closely as she sat down on the floor. She motioned for him to do the same and he did. You didn't just say no to Erza unless you had a death wish. She opened the box and revealed a beautiful necklace with a tiny charm shaped like the Fairy Tail crest. It also had a tiny oval-shaped emerald set in gold. He blinked at its beauty and stared openmouthed at Erza. "Take this. Give it to her when you come to your senses." Erza took his hand, placed the box in it, stood, and walked out. He looked at the necklace again and fell backwards on the floor. Now he really was clueless.


	6. We're Friends Right?

Chapter 6

Lucy laid out a bedroll on the floor of Mirajane's bedroom and sat down. Mira was in the bathroom, brushing her hair and braiding it for bed. Lucy laid back and folded her arms under her head, a thousand questions flying through her head. "Lucy?"  
"Hmmm?"  
"Mind helping me for a second in the kitchen?"  
"Sure." She sat up and took Mirajane's offered hand, rocking to her feet. She followed the demon mage to her little kitchen, where she sat down on the countertop, watching Mirajane whirl around, perfectly at home in her own kitchen. Quickly, eggs, bread, sugar, and other ingredients were laid out beside her.  
Mira engaged her in conversation and Lucy was grateful. She'd been thinking about Natsu and was digging herself further and further into a hole of depression, but Mirajane's voice and her constant motion kept Lucy's mind busy and watching her. Eggs were cracked as they spoke about the upcoming Festival of the Sun. It was a momentous celebration the past year and Lucy-unfortunately-had been on a job. She'd never seen them and Mirajane was excited to tell her all about it.  
The eggs were mixed with powder, yeast, and other ingredients, and a bit of cinnamon, poured in a pan, and slid into the oven. Mirajane and Lucy talked until it was ready, and the demon mage pulled the risen bread from the heat and set it on the counter by a window to cool. She started mixing more ingredients into a bowl as Lucy explained her expectation for the festival.  
"I mean, I'm excited about it, but I'm also upset about him and what's gonna happen. I'm going to have to talk to him sooner or later, Mirajane, and I don't know whether I'll be able to talk civilly or if I'm just going to kick him." Mirajane smiled lightly and set her bowl down to pull the blonde into a hug. "Don't worry, Lucy. If you want to talk to him, I'll get him for you. He might be bull-headed, stubborn, and extremely annoying, but Natsu knows his battles. He knows when he should listen and when he should use reason. And he's not very good at it, but he does know how to handle other peoples' emotions. He's just not good with showing his own emotions." She smiled brightly and released Lucy to pick up her bowl again. As she stirred, she and Lucy talked about the festival and Mirajane convinced Lucy to talk to Natsu tomorrow.  
The demon mage sliced the warm cinnamon bread and handed Lucy a few slices. She took a bite and grinned. "Mira, this is delicious! What did you put in it?!" Mirajane smirked and teased, "You watched me make it. Let's see how well you paid attention." She had Lucy list the ingredients, and the blonde only missed two ingredients. "Nice job, Lu." She grinned. Lucy bit into her bread again and smiled. The two stayed up talking late into the night until Mirajane excused herself so she could be up early to make breakfast for the guild.  
Lucy stayed up, nursing a mug of hot chocolate in the living room. She was half-asleep when someone knocked on the door. She placed her empty mug on the table and walked over to the door. Opening it, she found herself face-to-face with none other than Natsu.  
"Natsu?"  
"Lucy, I-" He didn't finish. Lucy closed the door with a soft click and slid down to the floor. She heard him sigh and leaned her back against the door. He knocked again. "Lucy…" She cut him off again. "I don't want to hear it, Natsu." She choked out. He sighed again. "Lucy. I'm sorry…" He trailed off as she listened.  
"I don't know what I did to make you upset, I don't care what I did unless I made you cry. I hate to see you cry and I'm sorry if I did. I know you must hate me right now and honestly I'm okay with that. Just, please, Lucy. Give me a second chance. I didn't mean to upset you and ignore you but Wendy wanted to hear everything and Juvia was watching me like she watches Gray and I just…" he sighed. "I'm sorry. And…I understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore." His weight shifted and she heard his footsteps echo down the hallway. After a few moments, she heard a door slam shut.  
"Well?" Lucy's head shot up. Mirajane stood before her, arms folded over her chest. "Are you going to say something to him or not?" Lucy sighed and put her head in her arms. "I don't know, Mira. I'm not completely sure if I can trust him or not, yet." The demon mage sighed. "Well, whether you decide or not, you still need to sleep. Are you still going to talk to him tomorrow?" Lucy nodded and stood up. A wave of pain shot through her from head to toe, making her stumble, but resided into a dull ache in her wrists and arms when she righted herself again.  
"Lucy? What's wrong? You paled all of a sudden." Mirajane said, stepping forward. Lucy looked at her. "Natsu."  
"What?"  
"His bond with me, the _nakama_ bond. I can feel when and where he's in pain, what he's feeling, and vice versa. He did something to himself, Mira. And….And I think it's my fault."


	7. Anguish

Chapter 7

Mirajane looked at her. "Then go fix it!" Lucy nodded and whirled, opening the door and darting into the hallway. She made her way quickly to the boys' quarters and found herself in front of Natsu's room. She took a deep breath and knocked. After a few seconds of no sound, she knocked a bit louder. "Natsu?" no reply. She turned the doorknob-Natsu never ever locked his door-and stepped inside. Looking around, she stopped and listened.  
She could hear him. His breathing was shallow and harsh, angry. She followed the sound to the back of the apartment and found broken glass littering the ground near the outside deck. Drops of blood also dotted the ground and covered several of the glass fragments. She stepped over them and opened the broken glass door. He stood there, bracing himself on the railing outside, staring out over the town. She stepped out onto the deck, into the chilled night air, and watched him. He was bracing himself stiffly on his arms, and she could see shards of glass where he'd punched the window on the ground. Blood was spattered on the ground, but she couldn't see where or how much he was hurt. "Natsu."  
He whipped around and faced her. Surprise changed to fear, to hope and relief, then blankness. "What, Lucy?" His arms were behind him, but blood speckled both his face and his torso. She stepped forward and he flinched. "Natsu, calm down." He relaxed marginally and turned his head away, closing his eyes. She walked right up to him and reached up, cupping his jaw in one hand. She turned his head to her and brushed the pad of her thumb across his cheek.  
"Natsu, look at me." He slowly opened his eyes and stared at her. She sighed softly. His eyes were empty, devoid of emotion and exhausted. She pulled him down to her and rested her forehead against his. He sighed and pulled away, stiffening again. "Natsu, please. Let me see your arms." He folded his arms tightly over his chest and turned away. She frowned but stepped forward, touching a hand to his upper arm. When he didn't react, she walked around him and touched his folded arms. With a soft, almost inaudible sigh, he relaxed and allowed her to pull his arms away from his body. "Oh, Natsu." She breathed, examining his arms.  
Crisscrossing cuts traced around his wrists, only where his wristbands sat. Blood trickled from each one and pooled in his palms. She looked closely at both arms and sighed. The cuts were ragged, deep, and bleeding steadily. They went all the way around his wrists and ran right along the veins of his arms. She touched one of the cuts and he flinched. She hushed him calmly and led him slowly inside to the little kitchen area and had him sit down. She tore one of the rags in half and dampened it, placing the dry half aside. Taking his wrists, she wiped away the blood and cleared his skin of any glass shards. She then used the dry rag to dry them and slow the bleeding. She tore another rag into strips and wrapped his wrists, bandaging them.  
She led him to the couch, sat down, then pulled him to her and wrapped him in her arms. Slowly, his arms slid around her waist and he broke. He slid off the couch to the floor and buried his face in her lap, his arms wrapped tightly, securely, around her waist. She stroked his back and ran her fingers through his hair soothingly until he relaxed and fell asleep. She slid carefully to the floor, rested his head in her lap, and let herself fall into dreams.


	8. Curiosity

Chapter 8

Natsu woke with a start, screams still echoing in his head. Even months after their ordeal had ended, he was having nightmares about it. About Lucy dying and Gray's anger and failure. He'd finally given in and punched the glass window, his own reflection. The pain that shot through him as the glass shattered and buried itself in his skin was gratifying. He could still feel. He could function. He'd punched the wall simply because it was _there_, because it was finally catching up to him that _he had failed_.  
Lucy had been in danger-she'd been captured and taken away and hurt beyond comprehension-because _he'd failed to protect her._ He knew those men were there, he could sense them lurking just beyond the ring of firelight, but he'd ignored them, thinking them to be just passerby. Then he'd _stupidly_ taken Lucy back to the tent and left her there, unprotected, while he argued with Gray. Lucy had been hurt because he hadn't thought to go and chase those men off. His ignorance had cost him his sense of peace, of normalcy, and had cost Lucy dearly. _God_, how could he have been so _stupid_-

Then he thought of Lucy again. Her face when they'd been captured, the fear and the realization that he wouldn't be able to defend her this time, crashed into him. He remembered seeing Lucy's face, blurry but there, and felt her fingers through his hair. That had always calmed him, more than anything else. It was such a simple action, just a reassurance of 'I'm here, it's okay. It will be okay', and it never failed to ease his stress.  
She had always managed to calm him down, he realized. Whenever he had been stressing out or getting angry, Lucy had just wrapped her arms around him and it had calmed him down. Before, he had passed it off as simply a means to keep him out of trouble (and for many of the times, it was) but now he had come to remember that even as a child, after Igneel disappeared, he hadn't really had a lot of interaction with people. Few people touched him, or hugged him. Lucy had changed that the moment she met him.

He sighed. This girl was going to be his downfall. She was his weakness, had always been his weakness; he cared for her and knew, even when she was angry at him for some small thing, that she cared for him too.

Before he could continue thinking himself into a depression, he felt cool fingers running through his hair and someone singing softly. He relaxed and listened to the words:

_Hush, now, don't cry  
They're smiling down on you  
The stars in the night sky  
Hush now, enjoy the view_

_They're singing a song, like the one you know best  
Now lay down your head for some hard-won rest  
I will be here forever, just waiting for you  
Unlike all the other little birds that flew_

_Away, far away to a new kind of world  
Where dangers lurked and shadows curled  
But you are here safe, and that's all that counts  
Because my love for you, nothing else can surmount_

_When memories haunt you, I will dry your tears  
When cruel beings flaunt you, I will chase all your fears  
Don't worry, my dear heart, it won't be too long  
Stop hurting, my dear heart, I know you are strong_

_Hush now, don't cry  
They're smiling at you  
The stars in the sky  
They guide me to you._

Natsu opened his eyes and looked up at Lucy. She was still humming, her eyes closed. He tightened his arms around her and buried his face in her stomach. "Sing it again." He whispered. Lucy's fingers stilled in his hair for a moment and her body tensed under him. "Please, Lu. Sing it again." Her body relaxed and her fingers resumed stroking his head. Her other hand ran up and down his arm as she breathed in. She started to sing it again and he smiled into her shirt, letting her voice chase away all of the bad memories and calming him. She finished with a sigh and removed her fingers from his hair. He relaxed his arms and sat up, blinking in the bright sunlight reflecting off the broken glass. Lucy stretched and looked towards the broken glass as well. He flipped his gaze to her and noticed the dark circles around her eyes and the tired look in those chocolate orbs. She turned to look at him and caught his eyes.  
She froze. He blinked and looked away, blushing furiously at being caught staring. She laughed softly and stood, ruffling his hair on her way up. He looked at the ground until she turned her back on him, then returned his gaze to her. She was still wearing his shirt, which was thin and barely covered her bum, and her hair was tied up into a messy bun. She reached up and brushed a strand out of her face as she picked up broken shards of glass. He blinked and scrambled over to help her.  
"No, Natsu. Go and sit back down." Her voice was soft but firm, and left no room for argument. He did as he was told, flopping down onto the couch. He watched her as she dropped the shards into her lap, holding the edge to keep them from falling out. She stood to move into the kitchen and he saw that she was only wearing a pair of white panties underneath. He forced himself to ignore that particular fact and watched her work. She moved with a fluid grace, gentle yet purposeful. Her hands were slim and graceful, her body in perfect shape.  
She dropped the shards into a bowl in the kitchen and set it aside. He sensed sleep creeping up and allowed it to take over. He felt her fingers run through his hair for a moment and registered a warm kiss to his forehead. He slept dreamlessly for the first time in months.

Lucy smiled at his sleeping form on the couch and turned back to her work. She had cleaned up the bigger glass shards but had yet to clear away the tinier pieces. She could already feel several piercing her feet, but paid them no mind. They didn't hurt yet and she could get them out easily. She swept the remaining glass into a dustpan and deposited it in the trashcan. She looked through the larger fragments that she'd set aside and chose several. She then summoned one of her fire spirits and had him melt the other fragments into molten glass. She shaped it into a vase, then placed it in cold water to cool it and set it aside. The other fragments, she carved into little statues, mainly of the sun and stars, but then one of flames. She placed them on a shelf and set the vase on the table. Natsu was still asleep, so she washed her face and brushed out her hair. After she had finished, she went back into the kitchen and started making some breakfast. She knew that the rest of the guild was probably wondering where she was, and that Mirajane would cover for her.  
Soon breakfast was nearly ready. Natsu was shifting in his sleep and his nose twitched. She opened a window, knowing that Happy would be arriving as soon as he caught a whiff of the fish she had for him. She piled pancakes and eggs onto plates and set them out.  
Right on schedule, a blue blur shot into the kitchen and almost knocked her over. She blinked and smiled at the little blue cat. "Hi, Happy."  
"Lucy! I smell fish!"  
"I did make a fish for you. Come on." The exceed followed her to the kitchen where she tossed him the fish. "Yayyyyy!" He squealed. Lucy laughed. She heard footsteps and turned to see Natsu. He looked better; his eyes were clear and sparkling again and he wasn't pale. He even had a smile on his face. "Happy!" He grinned. The little cat squeaked happily and launched himself at his friend. "Natsuuuu!" Lucy watched with a light smile as the two friends caught back up again. Then Happy jumped into the air and landed on one of the arms of the ceiling fan, grinning down at her as he spun slowly around.  
"Happy…"  
"You liiiiiiiike him! You liiiiiiike him!" he sang. Natsu blushed a furious red while Lucy just laughed. Both of them looked at her incredulously. She looked up at Happy.  
"You, know, Happy? You're right. I do like him." The little blue cat grinned even wider. "I KNEW IT!" He cried. Lucy smiled again and looked at Natsu, who was still blushing. "Hungry, Natsu?" She asked, gesturing to the table. Natsu's eyes widened at the food. "Yes!" He yelled, his signature grin making its way onto his face. "Thanks, Luce." He said softly, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek as he darted to the table. She laughed and sat down to eat.


	9. Loving You Ain't Easy

Chapter 9

Erza glared at the two arguing mages over her mug of ale. "Not even home for twenty minutes, and already they're arguing, huh?" The red-haired mage looked up at Lucy.  
"Not a chance."  
"What are they fighting over now?"  
"Who gets to talk to you first. Gray thinks he should because-"  
"-BECAUSE YOU SEE HER EVERY DAY, FLAMEBRAIN!"  
"SHUT UP, ICE PRINCESS! I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO SEE EVERY DAY!"  
"NOT ON YOUR LIFE!"

The two women sighed. Lucy looked to Erza. "Should you or should I?" Erza shrugged.  
"Go for it if you want. I'm staying out of this one until the magic comes out or someone smashes my cake." Lucy smiled and started towards the fighting mages. Erza and her cake. The celestial mage walked up to the crowd of onlookers and they parted like the sea to her, revealing Natsu and Gray wrestling. She sighed and summoned Leo. The gingery-haired spirit grinned and bowed to her, dressed in his usual suit. "How may I be of service, Lu?" Lucy just pointed to the two, and Leo smirked. "Consider it done."  
He slipped his jacket off and handed it to her, then made quick work of separating the two. With another bow, he stood behind her as she glared at the two mages. Nastu grinned sheepishly while Gray glared at Leo, rubbing at a bruise on his side. Lucy walked forward until she was a few inches from both of them, then kicked Gray in the side. He went down with a cry and Natsu flinched. She turned to him with her hands on her hips.  
He watched her warily with wide eyes, entire body tensed. She finally raised a hand and he flinched, closing his eyes. Her fingers ran through his hair and he sighed, relaxing a bit. He opened his eyes and she slapped him hard across the face.  
"Owwwww!" He yelped. She turned away and walked back to where Erza was sitting, eating a piece of strawberry shortcake.  
"Nice job, sister."  
"Thanks, Erza. I was waiting to do that."  
"It suits you. Gray won't forget this for a while and hopefully neither will Natsu."  
"It was fun." The two laughed quietly until Natsu laid his head on Lucy's shoulder.

"Why'd you do that?"  
"You deserved it."  
"How?!"  
"You know the rules. No fighting in the guild hall."  
"Aww, Lucyyyyy…" He whined, nuzzling her shoulder. She shoved him away and continued talking to Erza. Natsu frowned and plopped down beside her, straddling the bench, and slid an arm around her waist. She grinned and elbowed him in the chest. He spluttered theatrically and fell off the bench. She laughed and called Gray, who darted over. "Yeah?" She looked at him; he was only wearing his boxers. Again. "Gray, clothes. Take this idiot outside and fight, yeah?" The ice mage grinned. "Absolutely." He turned to Natsu, who was glaring at him with an arm around Lucy's waist.  
"Hey, flamebrain."  
"Yeah, ice princess?"

Gray darted forward and kissed Lucy's lips, then ran as fast as his legs could carry him from the guild. Natsu jumped up with a roar and chased after him. "YOU DIRTY ICE PRICK! GET BACK HERE SO I CAN MELT YOU INTO A PUDDLE!" Lucy laughed at Gray's preferred method and turned to Erza.  
"So, Erza. Want to go shopping?" The armored mage smiled and stood. "Absolutely, Lucy. Let's go."  
They walked out of the guild arm in arm and invited Juvia and Levy to come along. Levy looked fearfully towards Natsu and Gray, who were using magic and slowly destroying parts of Magnolia. Lucy waved a hand and grabbed the shy bluenette's arm. "Don't worry, Levy. If they get out of hand, Gajeel and Elfman will break them up." Levy looked slightly more relaxed and sighed. "If you say so, Lucy. Let's go." The four girls walked to the shops, intent on enjoying an afternoon of shopping and fun.

Afterwards, Lucy returned to her little suite with several bags full of assorted items. She scanned through each one, putting the items in their proper place, until she found the bag she was looking for. She lifted the bundle of lace and silk out of the lingerie bag and grinned. She was going to have some fun with Natsu tonight.

He slipped into her bedroom through the window as usual and immediately noticed something was different. The whole place smelled…weird, like sweat and skin and heady perfume. He heard a soft, wet moan come from the living room and approached it warily. Peeking in, he saw Lucy curled up on the couch, wearing one of his shirts again, and that the heady scent was coming from two sources; a lit candle on the table in the kitchen and Lucy herself. He stepped into the room and snuck closer to her. The scent covered her; it washed over his senses like a warm wave of emotion.  
He felt a sudden, unquenchable thirst for her, for her skin against his. He blinked and blushed, trying to force away the lump in his throat and flashes of her curled under him, her face glowing and sweaty from-he stopped that thought and immediately another surfaced, one of her moaning and writhing beneath him, of him nibbling and sucking at her pulse, of her arms pinned above her head while he pounded her-he gasped, forcing the image out of his head. Lucy stirred and moaned wetly, bringing another image of him looking up at her, of kissing her hotly, wetly, fighting her tongue with his own for dominance. He blushed furiously and cleared his throat. Lucy stirred and he froze. Her eyes blinked open slowly, hazy and drowsy. They settled on him and her mouth curved into a sleepy, goofy smile. Tentatively he smiled back.  
She stretched and sat up, dragging her fingers through her golden tresses. He found himself wondering how her hair would feel under his fingers and froze, his hand half extended. Lucy's eyes were on his hand, then flicked to his face. She grinned lopsidedly and reached forward, touching his nose with a finger. He watched her eyes as she inched forward, sliding her fingers across his jaw and down his neck. She slid her body to the ground, cupped her hand across his nape and pulled him to her.  
He found himself nuzzling her collarbone, wringing deliciously _hot_ sounds from deep in her throat while he exposed her pale, warm skin. A low growl reverberated through him and it took him a moment to realize that it was him growling, rumbling against her. He opened his mouth and sucked on her skin, making her body rock against his and sending his blood rushing south. Her nails scraped against the back of his neck while her other hand slid across his back, his chest, under his jacket. He shrugged out of it and one hand snaked up to her waist, yanking her into his lap. He released his hold on her collarbone, only to drag his tongue up her neck to nibble at her ear. She was gasping, whispering his name over and over again. Her nails raked red trails over hard muscle and scars, brushed lightly across his jaw. She pushed him away, only to grab him by the jaw and crush her lips to his. He groaned, placed both hands on her knees and slid them up, over her thighs and under her shirt to her hips, where he encountered a new obstacle.  
"Lucy…" He whispered hoarsely, pulling away from her mouth. She immediately wreaked havoc on his mind and body by attaching her mouth to his pulse, nipping with her teeth and sucking lightly.  
"Mmm…?" he swallowed harshly and tilted his head to give her better access.  
"What is thi-ah!" She cut him off by sliding one hand over his crotch, just brushing him with her fingertips. "Lu-Lucy-cy-y…" He growled, bucking his hips softly. She pushed him back, so he was lying on the ground with her legs straddling his hips and waist. She pinned his hands above his head and kissed him until he thought he would black out. Then she slid her hands under her shirt and lifted it over her head. Natsu's eyes widened as he took in inch after inch of thin black lace. She was wearing a tight bandolier-style bra and wide lace panties.  
All of the blood in his body shot straight to his loins. She was so _damn __**sexy**_. He lurched up and nuzzled her neck, his hands pinning hers above her head. She gasped and moaned and writhed above him. He bit down on her shoulder, inhaling the heady scent that covered her body and assaulted his senses. He kissed the new bite mark, then trailed kisses down her neck and chest. She moaned, long, low, and _wet_. He released her hands and slid his own down her sides, along her ribcage. He reached the band of her panties and paused, looking up at her for consent. She pulled his mouth to hers for a single gentle kiss, and he slid the strip of fabric down her legs and away.  
"Lucy…"  
"Mmm?"  
"This…This might be a stupid question…but…why are you doing this now? Why wait til now?" He asked, pulling back to look her in the eyes. Her eyes were dilated and unfocused, almost as if-

"Lucy, are you drunk?" She grinned at him. "Yess…" She hissed in his ear, "I'm drunk…on _you_….." He blushed a bright red and noticed her yawn. "Tired, Luce?" She nodded blearily and he picked her up, letting her nuzzle into his shoulder. All of a sudden he didn't feel so comfortable in her home. Quickly he carried her to her room and tried to lay her down, only to find that her arms had slid around his waist, effectively holding him to her. He sighed and slid into the bed, pulling her to him and burying his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet, chocolatey-flowery-night-like scent. She snuggled into him and one of her hands rested lightly against his chest while her head nested on his upper arm, her breath ghosting across his skin. He fell asleep with the feeling of her pressed against him, warm and soft.


	10. Flames are Burning

Chapter 10

It had been three months since the whole incident where Natsu punched the glass. Since then, he and Lucy had grown closer and closer, and the celestial mage had finally convinced him that she truly cared for him the same way as he did with her and the two had taken their relationship to the next level. Natsu was more defensive than ever, while Lucy spent most of her time stopping fights between him and Gray whenever the ice mage made a smart comment.

Which was where she stood now. Between the two as they fumed at each other-well, more accurately, holding Natsu back as best she could while he raged at Gray-and snapping at Gray to shut up. Natsu was giving Gray a death glare while the ice mage just grinned cheekily. Lucy had a sparkling sheen of ice in her hair, Gray's way of 'making her even more beautiful', and Natsu was fuming, to the point where he was steaming. His skin was hot to touch, and Lucy felt it against her arms.  
"Natsu…" The pink-haired mage growled. "_Natsu_…" He threw himself at Gray, who stepped back. "Natsu!" She cried. He growled and whipped around, yanking her into his arms. She flinched and pushed weakly at him. "Natsu! You're hurting me!" He froze. She twisted away from him immediately and cradled her arms to her tummy. He saw the bright red marks stretching down and across her arms and cold fear washed over him. He slumped visibly and reached out to her. "Lu…" She flinched and stepped back. Erza stepped forward and gently tugged Lucy's arms away from her body gently. Natsu paled. Red burns stretched from her shoulders all the way down her arm to her wrist. Erza inhaled sharply and turned to Natsu. "You idiotic, pig-headed, anger-driven FOOL!" Her voice rose in pitch and volume. The guild had never seen Erza so insanely angry, about something so emotionally-centered. Natsu barely noticed. He was pale and stood unsteadily on his feet. Guilt and despair was written across his face and his chest was heaving. Erza glared at him for a moment, then turned her attention to Lucy.  
She brushed her fingers across the burns and frowned. "Lucy, you need to go see the healers or these will blister even worse." Juvia stepped forward. "Juvia will take Lu-chan to the healers." Erza nodded and Juvia took Lucy away. The red-haired mage turned to Natsu, who looked at her blankly. He looked around the room, at the angry and shocked faces of the other guild members, then closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, guys." He whispered. "I'm so….so sorry." He looked at his shoulder, where his guild crest was tattooed, and the look on his face mirrored his thoughts. "I don't deserve this. Any of it." He lifted a hand and fire encased it, burning a bright blue color. Erza saw the look on his face and her eyes narrowed. "Natsu, don't do this-"  
She didn't finish. Natsu clamped his burning hand over the guild crest on his shoulder. He snarled in pain but kept his hand there for several moments. When his hand slid off, Erza gasped, her hands flying to her face in a rare show of emotion. His shoulder was severely blackened and the guild crest was gone. He straightened, stared her down, then walked out. The crowd parted like water and watched him leave in silence. The doors slammed shut and soft voices filled the room. Unnoticed by all except Juvia, a certain celestial mage watched from the doorway of the healing ward.  
Erza blinked and looked at the ground. Blood was pooled in tiny clumps on the wood and Erza sighed. She turned to look at the door, then ducked her head. She frowned to herself, then took a deep breath. She had to tell Lucy. She took a step forward and felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she found herself face-to-face with Gajeel. "I'll tell her. Go find him." She nodded, grateful, and ran outside, chasing after the dragon mage.

Gajeel stepped into the healing ward, his massive presence filling the entire wide space. He glanced around awkwardly, his eyes finding Lucy seated on the edge of a bed in the back. He made his way, apologizing and bumping through the women and few men dedicated to taking care of the guild, to Lucy and crouched in front of her.  
"Lucy, I'm sorry."

"He's gone, isn't he?" Lucy looked at her bandaged arms. Gajeel frowned for a moment, then nodded. Lucy slumped. "I knew he would. He won't ever stay in one place." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. Gajeel stiffened.  
"Lucy. If there's one thing Natsu won't do, it's abandon people he loves."

"Then why did he leave, Gajeel? Why would he abandon me? Abandon Fairy Tail?" She snapped, staring him down. He calmly stared back.

"He didn't abandon you, Lucy. He left because he felt that he would only do more harm than good to you. He left Fairy Tail because he _loves_ you, Luce. He'd rather hurt himself on purpose than hurt you on accident, which is what he did. He burned the crest off his shoulder and left. Erza is looking for him right now." Gajeel cradled her hands in his own and sighed. "He's acting the same way I would, were I in his place." Lucy blinked back tears.  
"Gajeel…I don't even know what I should expect from him anymore, or if I should expect anything at all." The iron dragon slayer frowned.  
"Lucy, if I know Natsu, he won't come back, even if Erza threatens to bring him here by his collar. He's true to his word in every way when he sets his mind to it, and he won't change his mind." Lucy sucked in a breath and a stifled sob escaped her. Gajeel sighed and, ignoring all emotional ignorance or drawbacks, betraying his stoic, solitary nature, drew her into his arms, mindful of her injuries. She sobbed into his chest and he held her there, patient and solid.


	11. Old Friend

Chapter 11

Fairy Tail had flourished in the past decade. Master Makarov had passed leadership of the guild to Erza, who because the first female master in all guild history. Lucy was second in command to her and took great pride in her work. Happy had stayed with her every day, and she was grateful for the little blue cat. Several of the mages had come and gone, but all those that were there when Lucy joined were still around. Gajeel, to everyone's surprise, had lightened up a bit and was going steadily with Levy. Gray had finally admitted his feelings for Juvia and had somewhat gained control of his stripping habit. Romeo and Wendy were an official little couple and Mirajane and Laxus had hit it off and kept a close eye on the now-teenage couple. Erza was still waiting on Jellal to come to his senses.  
Lucy hasn't seen him since that day. Erza couldn't find him anywhere.

She hasn't forgotten him either. She had just forgiven him, and had decided that should she see him again, she would just say hello and be on her way. She knew it wouldn't work that way, though. Happy wanted to find him and bite him for leaving.  
Most of the guild wanted him back. _Most_, not all. Gray wanted him back, as did Levy and Gajeel. Juvia was still angry, even after ten years. Erza shared her sentiments, as did Mirajane and Laxus. Lucy didn't mind, but she was fairly certain that he wouldn't want to come back.

She was on a job, chasing after a rogue thief with Happy. The job had come from an annoyed mayor several towns away, and the pay for the job was enough to last the guild for months. Apparently this thief was no naïve teenager. Gray was waiting for her signal to blast the thief with ice. Erza was following from further behind for backup. Lucy chased the shadow over the rooftops, just keeping it in sight until she could get close enough to give Gray the signal. Before she could get that close, the shadow changed direction and leapt back over her head. She watched it as if in slow motion and caught a glimpse of green eyes. Happy launched himself at the figure from her shoulder and hit it square in the back. The thief gave a low, snarling cry of pain and pulled Happy away, throwing him back at Lucy. She caught the little exceed and put on an extra burst of speed. She recognized those eyes.  
"Wait!" She called, trying to catch up to the thief. "I know you! Who are you?" The thief jumped to the next rooftop and stopped. She stopped as well, looking up at them. The figure kept its back to her, then sighed. Its shoulders slumped-well, one slumped. The other was already down. "Are you hurt? I can help you; just stop and let me help you." The thief tensed visibly.  
"Happened a long time ago. Go away." He growled. Lucy frowned.  
"But doesn't it hurt?"  
"Not like it used to." His voice was rough, low. Almost as if he hadn't spoken in years.  
"Why are you stealing?"  
"Rather steal than get food for being cruel."  
"Being cruel? What did you do that was cruel?"  
"I hurt the girl I loved." His voice cracked and he darted away. Lucy ran after him.  
"Wait! Please!" She cried. He stopped again, and this time she stopped a few feet away.  
"Why aren't you calling them?" he asked bluntly.  
"What?"  
"Your friends. The black-haired guy and the redheaded chick. Why haven't you called them in yet? You've as good as caught me now." He bit out. Lucy frowned and stepped closer. She reached out and touched his left shoulder. He flinched and his shoulders tensed, but he didn't move away. Lucy walked around him so she could face him and she immediately noticed that his right arm was bandaged from his wrist to his shoulder. The black jacket he wore hung open and she could see that the bandages went across the side of his chest and partially across his neck. They looked worn and old.  
"You're hurt," she murmured, "Badly. Did you get in a fight?" He took a step back and froze when she grabbed his bandaged wrist gently. "Let me see." He remained stiff, but didn't pull his hand away. She would have let him go and just captured him, but something about the thief drew her attention. She started to unwrap the bandage on his shoulder, pausing every time he winced. Finally it fell away and she gasped. His skin was discolored and blotchy. Patches of white and pink mixed with blackened, charred flesh and muscle and his tanned skin. She saw something that resembled a tattoo, but couldn't make out what it was. What bothered her, though, was that where the worst damage to his skin was, the injury was shaped vaguely like a hand. Like someone had branded him with a white-hot iron over and over. She unwrapped the bandages further down his arm and saw that the skin was pitted with smaller scars and scorch marks stretched down his arms. She took his other wrist and unwrapped it. His hand was scarred, and she could see minor scars from burns crisscrossing over older scars, like he'd punched something, like a window- "Wha-" He yanked his arm away from her and jumped off the rooftop. He looked up at her and spoke softly, just enough for her to hear.  
"I want you to promise me something."  
"What?"  
"Don't come after me. I'll leave here, but don't come after me."  
Lucy weighed her options.  
"Fine." The thief looked down at the ground, then reached inside his jacket and pulled something out. He threw it up to her and she caught it. A light bundle rested in her hands. She removed the gray fabric from the object and gasped. His scarf sat in her hands, as white and warm as she remembered it. She looked back at the thief, who lifted his left hand and pulled his hood away from his face. He unwound the black scarf from his head and she gasped, tears filling her eyes.  
Moonlight reflected off his hair, still the same pink as it had been the day he left. It was longer, not as unruly and spiky, but still the same. Happy sniffled and jumped down in front of him. He stepped back, away from the little exceed.  
"N-Natsu?" Happy mumbled, disbelieving. The pink-haired mage crouched down and looked at the blue cat.  
"Hey, Happy." The exceed gasped and threw himself into Natsu's arms, wailing. The dragon mage sat back on the ground and wrapped his good arm around Happy's shaking form.

"I-I thou-ught y-you wer-re gone for-r-rever!" Happy blubbered. Lucy jumped down and faced him, his scarf still clutched carefully in her hands. He looked up at her and met her eyes, tears rolling down his face. She took a few steps and knelt down, setting the scarf on the ground. He released Happy, who took a couple steps back. Lucy reached out and cupped his face, wiping the tears away with her thumbs. She pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes.  
"I forgive you, Natsu." She whispered. The softest sigh escaped him and he leaned forward, burying his face in her shoulder. She slid her arms around him and pulled him close.

He broke down. His hand slid into her hair and he cried. She just held him, rubbing his back with one hand and stroking his head with the other. Happy crawled into Natsu's lap and wrapped his paws as far around Natsu's middle as he could. She held him like that for a long time, and soon he fell asleep. She quietly summoned Cancer, who helped her move him to a nearby inn. She bought a room for the night and Cancer laid him down on the bed. Happy climbed up onto Natsu's stomach and curled up, falling quickly to sleep. Lucy called Erza and Gray on her lacrima screen. "Change of plans, guys. Thief is dead. I repeat, the thief is dead." A soft _hmph _from Erza and a grunt from Gray echoed their acknowledgement. "Find a spot to bunk down for the night and I'll meet you guys at the mayor's house tomorrow morning, 'kay?" Both of them agreed and the connection ended. She turned to the sleeping mage and exceed and sighed. Cancer studied her from his perch on one of the chairs in the room and commented softly. "Miss Lucy, you should rest. You look exhausted."  
"Not yet, Cancer. I need to come up with an excuse as to why the thief is 'dead' and collect the reward. I don't want to subject Natsu and Happy to this again." She glanced at the sleeping pair, a soft smile slipping onto her features.  
"Miss Lucy. I know you want to keep him safe, but he's now a wanted thief. He's an outcast of the guild, and-"  
"He isn't an outcast, Cancer. He left." The spirit frowned, then nodded in understanding and returned to the spirit realm. Lucy stood and walked over to the bed, kneeling beside it and watching Natsu sleep. She had missed him, she realized. Missed him terribly. She brushed her fingers along his cheek, almost wishing that she were dreaming. Her gaze was drawn to his arm, and she frowned. His skin was so discolored; grey, black, brown, pink, red, and white mixed disparately. She could barely see the Fairy Tail guild mark; had she not known it had been there, she would never have seen it. She traced the imprint of his hand, where he'd clamped pure blue fire down on his skin, and shuddered. Her fingers continued to move, down his arm, tracing the burn marks. She reached his hand and closed her fingers over his, interlocking them. She lifted their joined hands to her mouth and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "Natsu," she whispered softly. She knew he could hear her, even in his sleep.  
"I forgave you a long time ago. Ten years, in fact." She smiled to herself. "Ten years…today." She remembered it. Gajeel had explained it to her and hugged her when she cried. "I was never angry at you, Natsu. I never hated you for it." She looked at her arms. The marks were still there, faded and silvery, just reminders. She bore them proudly, unafraid to show them to anyone. The scars were just silver lines that stretched across her forearms. When her skin had blistered, they'd had to cut the blisters open to prevent infections and serious scarring.

"I was just afraid that day. I knew you were angry, and I knew you were just being defensive, just being you, but I couldn't help my reaction. It hurt, really, really badly, and I was afraid if you touched me that I would burn again. I was just afraid, Natsu. You didn't mean to do it, and I didn't mean to make you think that. It's been ten years, and I never gave up on you. I wanted to find you, tell you this, and…"  
She trailed off, holding back tears. "I…I wanted to tell you I love you. I love you, Natsu. I never stopped loving you then and I won't stop loving you now." She brushed her lips over his hand again, then stood, releasing it. "I just can't stay with you…" She woke Happy, who crawled into her arms like a child and went back to sleep. He understood that they couldn't stay. He'd made his peace with his friend. He knew that Lucy was ready to go, and he didn't argue. The sun was rising, and they had to meet Erza and Gray.  
Lucy leant down, kissed Natsu once, gently, then brushed her lips over his forehead and went to the door. She looked back at his sleeping form, a sad smile gracing her features. "Goodbye, Natsu." She whispered. She closed the door behind her and left, leaving a small purse filled with jewels on the table. She left the inn, carrying Happy in her arms and Natsu's scarf tied securely around her waist.

She met her teammates and the mayor, explained that the thief had fallen, hitting their head on a chimney, and fell from the roof of a building into the water, and that few people could survive such a fall. Gray and Erza explained that they had searched and could only find the black scarf the thief had worn. They presented it to the mayor, who was delighted to hear that the thief was no more. He paid them double what had been originally offered and sent them on their way with enough food to last them the whole trip home.


	12. I Forgive You

Chapter 12

As they set up camp later that evening, Erza sent Gray to get firewood and sat down with Lucy. The red-haired mage studied her friend, then leaned forward and asked the question that had been bouncing around in her mind.

"It was him, wasn't it, Lucy?" She said softly, looking her friend in the eyes. Lucy nodded. Erza sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I had guessed as much. Did you talk to him?" Lucy nodded again. "Not a lot, but yes." Erza smiled, then stood and stretched. As if on cue, Gray walked into their camp, firewood stacked neatly in his arms. He grinned at Lucy and set his finds on the ground, then ruffled her hair.  
"Hungry, Lu?" he asked teasingly. Lucy pouted for a moment, then glanced at Erza. The two women shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by the ice mage. "Uhh…what are you two up to?"

Happy grinned and swooped back and forth over their heads, dropping little rocks on Gray's head as the black-haired man ran from his companions.

Further away, green eyes watched them intently from a tree. A grin crossed tanned features and one hand, though burned, waved at the blonde when she turned to look. She smiled lightly and waved back, just pausing a moment in her attack on Gray. When the blonde returned her attention to the howling ice mage, Erza glanced in his direction. Their eyes met and a silent message was conveyed from her to him.

_Welcome home, Fire Dragon. Forgive and forget, right?_

She turned back to her companions and laughed as Lucy kicked Gray in the head. Happy sang over their heads, and grins graced all five faces. He turned away from the little scene and smiled to himself.

_Forgive and forget. But don't forget why you're here. Or how you came to be here._

_Forgive and forget.  
Thanks, Erza. _


End file.
